City Council meeting – 5/10/2011

Tonight’s agenda is relatively light on news. But follow along as I post frequent highlights from inside the council chambers.

This is the first regular business meeting for at-large Council members Beth Akeson and Chuck Weaver.

A series of proclamations is going on right now. Maternal Mental Health Day, Poppy Days (May 19-21), National Public Works Week (May 16-20), Bike Month (May) and Family House.

– Family House will host an open house at its new digs on Nebraska Avenue from noon to 4 p.m. on May 15.

– City Engineer Jeff Smith received a 2011 Top Ten Public Works Leader award by a host of professional public works administrative officials. Smith was one of 10 people nation wide to get the award this year.

A four-item consent agenda has to be the shortest I’ve seen (dating to 2007).

– The council voted 8-2 on a $235,000 expenditure for right-of-way to allow for the Orange Prairie Road expansion. Councilwoman Beth Akeson and Councilman Gary Sandberg were the “No” votes. Akeson said she is concerned with the expense, and Sandberg said he was concerned about the impact the land purchase might have on project’s budget.

– The council is having an interesting discussion on the vote of a $87,369 engineering expense for the Pioneer Parkway extension project. Councilwoman Beth Akeson, in her first business meeting on the council, made her presence known by criticizing the project saying it was an expenditure of tax money when the city doesn’t have the money. She also said the expense comes as the city doesn’t have money to fix roads. The council voted 7-2 to approve the engineering expense. Akeson and Sandberg voted “No.”

– Changes to the special assessment program to improve communications about these projects were approved with a 9-1 vote. Councilman Sandberg voted against it.

– Sandberg asked for police to check out the traffic flows around Northmoor and Sheridan roads. Chief Steve Settingsgaard said his department will survey some of the nearby schools to see if traffic patterns are causing traffic problems.